Leonard Floyd Injury: Updates on Bears LB’s Calf and Return
Published by Timothy Rapp on October 6, 2016
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears rookie outside linebacker Leonard Floyd suffered a calf injury in Week 4 and has not played since. His official status for Week 6 against the Jacksonville Jaguars has yet to be revealed.
Continue for updates.
Latest on Floyd’s Practice Status
Wednesday, Oct. 12
The Bears announced Floyd was a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice.
Floyd Out vs. Colts
Sunday, Oct. 9
The Bears announced Floyd is unavailable to play against Indianapolis in Week 5.
Floyd Hoping to Capitalize on Considerable Potential
Floyd, 24, was the No. 9 overall pick for the Bears this season after spending three seasons with Georgia, where he accumulated 17 sacks.
Through four games in his rookie campaign, Floyd has registered 13 tackles and 0.5 sacks.
His athleticism made him an exciting choice for the team, and the Bears are hoping he develops into an impact edge-rusher at the next level, though he needs to add bulk and become more consistent if that is ever to be the case.
Still, his teammates seemed intrigued by his upside during the offseason.
“Sky’s the limit [for him],” outside linebacker Willie Young told Adam L. Jahns of the Telegraph in June. “He’s very explosive, very fast.”
Guard Kyle Long added, “You see it on tape. He flashes some really, really good stuff. Obviously, he can run all over the field. He covers anything with a heartbeat—and he can rush the passer. That’s a dynamic guy.”
The loss of Floyd for Week 5 is a tough one for the Bears, as they have little depth at outside linebacker. With Floyd out, Willie Young and Sam Acho are their only legitimate options in terms of generating a pass rush.
Floyd was always going to battle for playing time on the edge, but this latest injury is an unwanted setback for the young player, who will have to continue proving himself when he returns.
And it’s a setback for the Bears, who don’t have another player on the edge—and perhaps on defense, period—with Floyd’s explosiveness.
Chicago may be able to get through a game without Floyd, but a lack of options at outside linebacker will make fatigue an issue, and another injury at the position would be crippling.
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